The Giants Need One More Move to Fix an NFL-Worst Run Defense

New York's run defense ranked near the bottom of the NFL last season, and losing Dexter Lawrence II hasn't helped. Here's the veteran the Giants should target to shore up the interior before Week 1.

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is legitimate excitement surrounding the New York Giants less than two weeks before their season opener. But imagine what it would feel like if they worked things out with Dexter Lawrence II.

Once the organization honored Lawrence’s trade request by sending him to the Cincinnati Bengals, Big Blue was practically guaranteed to begin the 2026 campaign with a huge question mark on the interior.

Head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen have tried to cobble together a formidable defensive line room by signing veterans D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris. Still, even in the short term, more help is likely required. New York needs another run-stopper.

Recent trade acquisition C.J. Okoye is intriguing thanks to his prior relationship with Harbaugh and massive size (6-foot-6, 365 pounds), but the 24-year-old is still quite new to football. Darius Alexander is clearly not progressing as hoped and is arguably one of the squad's worst run-defenders. Chauncey Golston is capable, but he is only 277 pounds.

Reader and Harris are 32 and 35 years old, respectively. They are not going to command monster workloads over the course of an entire season. Heck, it remains to be seen if they can still perform at a quality level. The Giants should get some insurance.

What are the answers to fixing their porous run defense?

Defensive tackle DaQuan Jones | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If Okoye takes another step forward and Alexander breaks out, then the Giants will be in good shape. But they cannot bank on either outcome. Adding someone like DaQuan Jones or another veteran defensive tackle could bring the room together nicely, or at least give the Giants enough to survive the year.

Jones recorded three sacks, 21 total pressures and 13 stops in 12 games for the Buffalo Bills last season, per Pro Football Focus. Slide him into Big Blue's rotation, and fans would be more relaxed.

The Giants surrendered 145.3 rushing yards per game during the 2025 campaign, which ranked 31st in the NFL. They have finished in the bottom-six every season since 2022.

The Giants also worked out some other defensive linemen on Wednesday, including David Bly, Aaron Graves, Benito Jones, and Dawuane Smoot. Schoen, in fact, said that he anticipated signing another veteran defensive tackle by next week.

Clearly the Giants agree that they need more reinforcement on the defensive line. It will be interesting to see who they bring in and the role that person has in the rotation. 

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